The guy i’m newly seeing has asked how he can support me if I’m having a panic attack or how he could help in general with intrusive thoughts. Do y’all have any tips or do you have a go to that you tell your partner? Thanks. 🥰
I asked my partner about this the other day and I realized that just but them listening is good enough. I had an anxiety attack two days ago and he said “let’s go for a walk”. We went for that walk and I was able to clear my mind while enjoying the nice walk with him and talking about other things. When we came back home I was totally relieved. So the way he can help is to go for a walk with you. You’ll both enjoy it and help you at the same time
@Hopeful soul By*
I have told my partner that if it sounds like I fishing around for reassurance he is to say I think you are looking for me to reassure you - and I can’t do that because we both know that this makes ocd worse. Or if I am confessing - he is to stop me saying it is not important for him to have this information. All in a gentle way of course.
I’ve been trying my best with ERP and just everything that’s going on. I have severe OCD, GAD, PMDD, panic disorder, recently diagnosed ADHD, and currently experiencing a major depressive episode. Apparently. I was taking a break from this app but I really need support right now. My family is honestly really mean and not understanding of what I’m going through. Right now it’s gotten bad to the point I had to withdrawal from my last semester of university. My only support is my boyfriend and he’s now planning to join the military. I won’t be able to talk to him for 3 months and I feel really scared of being alone with all of this. I know I shouldn’t depend on him to begin with but right now I’m at an extremely low point and I feel like I won’t make it alone. There hasn’t been a single day we haven’t texted and talked in 4 years. I feel really scared, but I don’t want to hold him back. You guys, I feel so sad and terrified right now. I don’t want him to go, he’s all I have.
Specifically how can my fiance best support me without offering reassurance? I'm trying to encourage myself to grow and keep trying ERP, but I'm not sure how I can include my partner in a healthy way. I plan on talking to my therapist about it soon, but I wanted to hear thoughts from people who have been dealing with it themselves.
Last night I had a fucked up intrusive thought/urge about harming my partner and I'm spinning out today. I let them know I had an intrusive thought and was struggling with compulsions around it and future repercussions, but did not tell them exactly what the thought/urge was, which they accepted. Do y'all share details with your partners about harm ocd? How can we healthily ask for support from people we are having horrible thoughts about?
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